Juris Doctor Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice

The standard course can be completed in three years of full-time or five years of part-time study. There are two intakes a year (in Autumn and Spring sessions).

To be eligible for admission to this course, applicants must meet the following criteria.

Applicants must have one of the following:

• Completed Australian doctorate, or overseas equivalent

OR

• Completed Australian bachelor's degree or Australian master’s degree, or overseas equivalent, with a minimum GPA of 4.5/7

OR

• Completed Australian graduate certificate or Australian graduate diploma, or overseas equivalent, with a minimum GPA of 5/7

OR

• Completed Australian bachelor's degree or Australian master’s degree, or overseas equivalent, with a minimum GPA of 4.1/7 AND Capacity to study the course demonstrated through relevant professional experience

The qualification must be in a field of study other than law or, if the qualification is in a legal field of study, it shall not be an academic qualification for legal practice.

Applicants who have completed the UTS Master of Intellectual Property are not eligible for admission in this course.

Applicants who do not meet the criteria above should consider applying for C04264 Master of Legal Studies or C11264 Graduate Certificate in Legal Studies.

Supporting documentation to be submitted with the application

For applicants who need to demonstrate capacity to pursue this course:

• Curriculum Vitae AND Statement of service in one of the following formats:
  • A 'Statement of Service' provided by the employer
  • A completed 'UTS statement of service’ signed by the employer
  • A statutory declaration confirming work experience (for Australian Residents only)
  • An official letter from the applicant’s accountant or solicitor on their company letterhead confirming the applicant’s work experience or engagement with the business, duration of operations, and the nature of the business
  • A business certificate of registration in original language and English (e.g. provision of ASIC documentation or ABN or similar documentation for Australian Businesses)
• Personal statement outlining relevant professional experience and reasons to pursue this course
• Relevant work-related references

For Applicants seeking credit recognition for core law subjects in overseas legal qualification

• Written assessment from the NSW Legal Profession Admissions Board (LPAB) indicating which subjects need to be completed to meet the requirements for admission as a Legal Practitioner

The English proficiency requirement for international students or local applicants with international qualifications is: IELTS Academic: 6.5 overall with a writing score of 6.0; or TOEFL iBT: 79-93 overall with a writing score of 21; or AE5: Pass; or PTE: 58-64 with a writing score of 50; or C1A/C2P: 176-184 with a writing score of 169.

Eligibility for admission does not guarantee offer of a place.

Visa requirement: To obtain a student visa to study in Australia, international students must enrol full time and on campus. Australian student visa regulations also require international students studying on student visas to complete the course within the standard full-time duration. Students can extend their courses only in exceptional circumstances.

Inherent requirements are academic and non-academic requirements that are essential for successfully completing a course at UTS. You can find the inherent requirements for your course via the inherent requirements directory.

General and course-specific recognition of prior learning information regarding the JD Accelerate (Juris Doctor Graduate Certificate in Professional Legal Practice) is available in postgraduate course information.

This course is accredited by the Legal Profession Admission Board (LPAB) of the Supreme Court of NSW. The course satisfies both the academic and practical legal training requirements for admission as a lawyer to the Supreme Court of NSW.